Conclusion
Suicide can be prevented by targeted interventions and responding to ‘at risk’ signs. Talking about suicide is uncomfortable but the connection made can result in a death being prevented. Pharmacy teams may observe signs that someone is struggling or may receive a report from a medicines delivery driver who has seen a patient in their home environment.
Training in suicide awareness can reduce the fear of having a conversation with someone at risk and having an up-to-date signposting list is an important way to support patients.
The frequent use of medicines in self-poisoning makes pharmacists and their teams key players in reducing access to means of suicide in liaison with local prescribers.
Making a planned CPD entry – some pointers
Use this learning about suicide prevention to make an entry in your revalidation record.
GPhC Q1. What are you planning to learn?
Tip: The GPhC expects this section to include three things – a learning objective, why this learning is relevant to your role, and how this learning will benefit the people who use your services.
Learning objective: e.g. To educate myself and my team on how we can all contribute to suicide prevention
Why this learning is relevant to my role?
GPhC Q2. How are you planning to learn it?
Tip: This section is for the learning activities you are going to do. Completing this module is one learning activity but make sure you include others that show how you will be able to apply your learning in practice.
• What will you or your team do to identify a customer who displays or discloses signs of being at risk of suicide?
• How will you make sure that members of your team know their role in your action plan
• What resources will you use?
GPhC Q3. Give an example of how this learning has benefited the people using your services
Tip: Here you need to include statements about how you envisage your team and/or your patients and/or local general practices will benefit from your learning. Also include an example of how someone actually benefited.
e.g. This learning will benefit my team by . . .
e.g. An example of a customer/patient who benefited from my learning is . . .
Reference
- Rudd MD, Berman AL, Joiner TE Jr., Nock MK, Silverman MM, Mandrusiak M et al. (2006). Warning signs for suicide: theory, research and clinical applications. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 36(3), 255-262.